The Time-Traveler and the Phantom
by stained-glass-shadow
Summary: Once upon a day in 1988 in New York City, a young girl ran into the famous Michael Crawford after the evening showing of Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. Unfortunately this young girl wasn't as normal as she seemed... She was Clara Grace Romani, the youngest time-traveler in the world. Nothing was ever ordinary. (I don't own Phantom or any recognizable references you notice.)
1. Chapter 1

There is a unique group of people that are present in the world. They have been here for centuries, spread all over the world but you would never know. They look like normal everyday people; the only thing that makes these people so special is the powers that they possess. Each power is different for each person and there is no way to tell who these people are. In the world today, there are eight known people with powers. There could be many more, hiding from the world, just wanting to live a normal life. In my family there is a gene for these powers, and therefore I, Clara Grace Romani, am the youngest one to appear on Earth with possession of these powers. I am eighteen years old, or at least as far as I can tell. Time doesn't really apply to me the same way it applies to you. My parents left a while ago… I don't know where they are and I've only received one letter from them saying that they loved me and "Great things are in store for me." how they know that is a mystery entirely.

The year was 1988 and I found myself in New York City. I wandered the streets aimlessly until I found myself outside the Majestic Theatre. (Fun Fact about Clara no. 1: I love Phantom of the Opera; it's my favorite story/musical by far.) I took a step inside the building and was instantly swept away by the crowd of people. The show had been running in the Majestic for a few months and everyone loved it. I was one of many audience members casting my eyes to the stage January 26th for the debuted performance. And now I found myself wishing that I had the money to see the show again! I sat on one of the benches and stared up at the "Majestic" sign for what seemed like hours. Soon the audience began coming out of the doors, signaling that the show was over and it was time for everyone to go home. I, however, didn't move a muscle. Eventually I stood up to go home and abruptly crashed into a dark figure walking swiftly in the opposite direction. "Oh!" I exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention…"

"Don't worry Miss!" A familiar voice said. "I wasn't paying attention either."

The man looked up and I immediately recognized him. It was Michael Crawford, the Phantom off Broadway! "You're… you're Mr. Crawford!" I exclaimed. "It's so wonderful to meet you!"

Mr. Crawford chuckled and said "I take it you've seen the show?"

"Of course, I was there opening night." I said proudly.

"You are a loyal Phantom fan." He said smiling.

I blushed, not used to talking to people, let alone famous people! I nervously tucked my chestnut wavy hair behind my ear. "Thank you." I said. "My name is Clara, by the way."

"It's nice to meet you." Michael said, sticking out his hand. I shook his hand, but as soon as I did that, lights started flashing around us and thunder crashed.

"Oh no…" I mumbled. "Mr. Crawford, I need to ask you to close your eyes and don't open until I tell you to."

"What's happening?" he asked with concern in his voice.

"Just listen to me!" I yelled. A blinding light flashed once and then everything went dark and I heard a splash. It took me a moment, but I realized that we had landed… in the middle of a lake. "You can open your eyes now, Mr. Crawford." I said.

"Where in heaven's name are we?" he asked.

I looked around, barely seeing anything through the dark. I looked up and saw a rocky ceiling. "We're… underground." I said.

"How did we get here?!" Mr. Crawford asked.

"Yes, I'm wondering the same thing." Another voice hissed.

"Who's there?" I asked, taking a few steps forward. I peered into the gloom and caught sight of candles illuminated the dark. "E-Erik?" I asked.

"How do you know my name?!" Erik roared.

"I… I don't remember." I stuttered through my lie.

"Of course you do!" Mr. Crawford said. "You read the book, didn't you?"

"Okay, here's the first tip about time travel: No one's supposed to find out you're from the future!" I hissed.

"Oh sorry." Mr. Crawford said. "Wait, time travel?!"

"Yes, I'm a time traveler. Kind of like Doctor Who, but unfortunately I don't have a police box and I have never saved the world!" I exclaimed.

"Doctor… Who?" Erik asked in confusion.

"Precisely." I said. "Don't ask it's WAY after your time."

"Clara, it is probably best if we don't confuse the wanted murderer…" Mr. Crawford said.

"He can't kill us!" I exclaimed "That would ruin the space- time continuum as we know it! Earth might slip into a black hole, or implode!" They were both silent and I asked. "Can we please get out of the lake?"

"Be my guest." Erik said.


	2. Chapter 2

We stumbled out of the lake and stood only mere feet away from Erik, the Phantom of the Opera! I gazed at him and realized that he looked like they portrayed him in the musical. He had longish black hair and icy blue eyes. He had a Punjab lasso in hand and it took my mind a moment to register that he wasn't wearing his mask… or a shirt. "Erik… um… before we talk, do you want to get your mask? And a shirt?" I asked, blushing and trying not to stare.

His hand flew to cover his face and he spun so his back was to us. "Yes, thank you." He said stiffly as he quickly returned to his room.

"Is there any way we can return home?" Mr. Crawford asked. "I don't want to stay here with him."

"That's rude." I said in shock. "He's pretty much you! And you of all people should know that there is still good in him!"

"I know… but now that we're here…" Mr. Crawford started just as Erik walked back into the room.

"You never told me how you know my name." Erik stated.

"I told you I'm a time traveler." I said. "You are famous in the future."

"You're lying." He said.

"No I'm not!" I said defensively. "In fact Mr. Crawford plays you in the stage show of your story."

"Prove it."

"Nighttime sharpens heightens each sensation, darkness wakes and stirs imagination… silently the senses abandon their defenses…" Mr. Crawford sang.

"How did you… I haven't sang it to Christine yet…" Erik stuttered.

"Believe me now?" I asked. He nodded and I said "I know that this is a shock, and I'm sorry! _Someone _doesn't know how to keep a secret…" I shot a look at Mr. Crawford who smiled sheepishly. I snapped my fingers and reached for my light purple bag. Reaching deep down into it, I pulled out an old, really thick book. Erik and Mr. Crawford looked at each other with wide eyes as I started flipping through the book. "Ah, here we go!" I exclaimed.

"What on earth…?" Mr. Crawford started to say.

Erik had a different approach; he snuck close to me and yanked the book from my grasp. "The Hand-Book of Time Travel: Beginners' Addition?" Erik read off the front.

"Erik, give it back!" I yelled.

"Why should I?" he asked. "Maybe this will tell me how I can get you to leave…" he began flipping through the pages and froze when he got to a specific page. "The Life and Death of Erik Destler?!" he cried.

I yanked the book away from him and slammed the book shut. "This book holds the stories of everyone's lives that I meet in this time period." I explained. "It lets me know how my, and I guess in this case Mr. Crawford's presence in this world effects each person."

"So… by meeting you, my life is already changed?" Erik asked.

"Yes." I said. "I'm not allowed to read ahead or the book will vanish and I'll be left with no knowledge of what I'm doing. We had a case like that a while ago, one of the only other time travelers in the world met a princess etc. etc. it was a big deal."

"How many time travelers are there?!" Mr. Crawford exclaimed.

"Two." I said. "Well now technically one. But time travel isn't the only power these people possess, it's very complicated."

"Are you telling me that in the future people have these… powers?" Erik asked.

"Don't be ridiculous." I said laughing. "There have been people with powers for as long as mankind has walked Earth. And now I can't tell you any more, already life is changing!"

"So can you go back?" Erik asked.

"No, I didn't purposely bring us here to begin with!" I chuckled.

"Well you can't stay here." Erik said stiffly.

"Erik, listen to yourself." I said. "One, you're being very rude to one of your biggest fans and two we don't have anywhere else to go!"

"Biggest… fans?" he stuttered.

"Oui."

"Oh so now you speak French too?!" Mr. Crawford exclaimed.

"Yes, I speak English as well as French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin." I said. "You learn a lot when you can't control time travel."

"Wait, I never learned French… and I'm assuming Erik never learned English, how are we communicating?" Mr. Crawford asked.

"That would be my doing, everything said is translated into a universal language, everyone can understand it so everyone can understand each other." I explained.

"I wish I didn't ask…" Mr. Crawford said, holding his head.

"Now Erik, we will need rooms, I know there are plenty down here to spare." I said in a businesslike tone.

"You… you do not fear me?" Erik asked.

"Of course not." I said. "You were just never taught how to behave around people, but you are still sweet and kind."

"I don't know what to say…" Erik said.

"Well you can let us stay here." I said. "It's better that we don't meet too many people."

"Yes I suppose so…" Erik said, still not able to speak.

"Not exactly a five-star hotel, is it?" Mr. Crawford said sarcastically, looking around the damp cavern.

"Would you rather I try to send you home?" I asked sarcastically.

"… No." he said. "Besides, I have to watch over you."

"… What?" I asked in confusion.

"I can't leave you alone down here with him!" Mr. Crawford said.

"Oh thank you for that vote of confidence." Erik said, walking away. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to sleep."

"Wait!" I yelled.

"What?" Erik sighed, turning back around.

I just smiled and ran past him into the room just off the main cavern. I gasp in shock and exclaimed "The Louis-Philippe room!"

"And how do you know that?" Erik said once he was standing beside me.

"You have a book too!" I smiled, before running and jumping onto the king sized bed.

"I would greatly enjoy it if you got out of my bed." Erik said stonily.

"This isn't your room." I countered with a laugh.

"And they say I'M creepy…" Erik muttered.

I hopped out of the bed and begged "Can I please sleep here?!" I looked up at Erik, and I tried to do the best pouty face I could manage.

"Erm… alright." Erik said in confusion.

"Yay!" I yelled, hugging Erik and hopping back into bed.

"Who would have guessed such a simple request would have made so much difference to her?" Mr. Crawford muttered to himself. I smiled contently and fell straight to sleep.

"Cl-Clara?" A voice asked, waking me from my sleep.

"Hmm…?" I mumbled sleepily. "Who's there?"

"Erik." Erik whispered.

"Why are you waking me up in the middle of the night?" I asked.

"I couldn't sleep." He answered. "And I have to know… does Christine fall in love with me in the end?"

"Erik, I can't tell you." I said, my heart breaking.

"Oh." He said. "In the show… the musical you called it? Does Christine go with me?"

"No… she doesn't." I answered. "She kisses you and leaves with the Vicomte."

"She… she kisses me?" Erik stuttered.

"Yes, but I don't know if the show is anything like your reality." I sighed. "But I can promise that you won't end up alone."

"I won't?" he asked in confusion.

_Not if I have anything to do with it!_ I thought. I sat up in bed and leaned over to hug Erik tightly. "Go to sleep." I said.

Erik got up and walked away, turning back only once to say "Goodnight Clara."


	3. Chapter 3

In the morning I woke up earlier than anyone. Walking out to the main cavern, I saw Erik asleep at the pipe-organ. Smiling softly, I took a blanket from the swan bed and draped it over him, so he wouldn't be cold as he slept. Mr. Crawford was snoring on the couch and I started to explore about the kitchen. I found a loaf of bread and a lot of wine and that was it, so I walked back to my room and rummaged in my bag until I felt a piece of cold metal. I looked at the timepiece in my hand and read that it was four o'clock in the morning. Sighing I opened the door to one of the passages and was surprised to see a basket of fruit sitting there. I picked it up, still confused as to who left it there but I brought it to the table anyway. Soon breakfast was ready and I began to pace around the cavern, bored out of my mind because Erik and Mr. Crawford weren't awake yet. As I paced, I sort of stumbled upon Erik's violin. Not stopping to consider the fact that this was in fact not my violin I began playing softly. I played until I heard someone clear their throat behind me, causing me to jump and nearly drop the violin. I spun around and saw Erik standing there, his arms folded, and the blanket still around his shoulders.

"Good morning sleepyhead!" I said in a singsong voice.

"Would you kindly put down my violin?" He growled.

"Sorry…" I muttered, carefully replacing the violin in its case. "I was bored! Oh, and I got breakfast together!"

"You… why?" Erik asked suspiciously.

"Well as a thank you for letting us stay here." I said. "Someone left fresh fruit outside your door…"

"Antoinette…" Erik grumbled. "I keep telling her I don't need her help!"

"Madame Giry?!" I squeaked.

"Yes."

"Erik you should be nicer to her!" I scolded. "She does a lot for you and you could say thank you once in a while!"

"If you are going to be bossy, I will not hesitate to kick you out." Erik said stonily. "You are trying my patience.

"You can't kick me out." I said smugly.

"Oh really, and why is that?" he scoffed.

"Because I know the way to your home." I said.

"You wouldn't dare." He said.

"Oh I would." I replied. "Your breakfast is on the table." I smiled sweetly at him and then grabbed my plate and walked to my room. I pulled out the handbook and began to read as I ate.

"Clara!" I heard a voice call from the outside cavern.

I sighed, shut my book, and walked out only to see a comical sight in front of me. Mr. Crawford and the Phantom appeared to be playing tug of war with the noose. "What in heaven's name are you two doing?" I asked in exasperation.

"He tried to noose me!" Mr. Crawford yelled.

"He tried to steal my breakfast!" Erik yelled back.

"And your response was to try to strangle him?!" I yelled too.

"Well, when you say it like that…" Erik muttered.

I walked over to them and snatched the noose away, promptly tossing it in the lake. Erik protested and I said, "Erik, it's not polite to kill people!"

"It's also illegal!" Mr. Crawford exclaimed.

Erik and I both ignored him and continued to glare at one another. Erik turned on his heel and began to walk away. "Where are you going?!" I asked.

"To watch the rehearsal for today." Erik said stonily. "And you will stay here with Mr. Crawford."

"Oh will I?" I asked, smirking. Erik rolled his eyes before storming off into one of the passages. Without hesitation I took off after him, only to have Mr. Crawford grab my arm.

"He said to stay here!"

"Oh that was more of a… suggestion." I laughed. "Besides, I've always wanted to out Phantom the Opera Ghost!"

And with that I took off after Erik, following him down the dark tunnels and up the stairs to Box Five. Erik sat in the shadows of the red curtains that draped around the box. Carefully I crept behind him, concealing myself in the curtain. "He's there the Phantom of the Opera!" I sang softly. Erik jumped, but didn't turn around. "Oh Erik…" I whispered. He shivered and turned around, but he didn't see me.

"Clara, I thought I told you to stay in the lair." He said.

I giggled and came out of hiding. "Aw but that's so boring!" I said. I sat down beside him and laughed as he moved a seat away. "So you really don't like me, do you?" I said.

"I don't know you." Erik muttered.

"Well what would you like to know?" I asked, turning to face him.

"You're just going to tell me?"

"Yes… why wouldn't I?" I laughed.

"Why did you come here? To this time period?" Erik asked.

"I believe that was Mr. Crawford's fault in part." I said, trying to think how to explain it. "Whatever controls the time travel could have looked into both our minds and saw where we were thinking to go. Mr. Crawford just finished a play and I…" I trailed off. "Anyway, we're here now."

"But… you know me. You know what I've done and what I'm going to do." Erik looked at me with sadness in his blue eyes. "I've killed. Clara, you know that I have! It's all written down in that book of yours."

"I haven't read ahead, if that's what you're worried about." I whispered. "All I know is the stage adaption of your story and even I don't know how true that is. But I can help you, I'll try to make sure that it ends better than the stage one ends."

Erik stayed silent for a while. I turned my attention to the stage where the ballerinas were practicing their dances. "So how does the whole time-travel thing work?"

"No idea!" I laughed. "I'm not exactly experienced, once I got stuck in the 1920s now that was interesting!"

"What happened?" he asked.

"I became the wife of a famous actor, only to find out he was cheating on me and then framed _me_ for cheating on him." I said. "That hurt."

"Oh… I'm sorry." Erik said.

"Nah, I've had worse." I muttered.

"… What?!" Erik exclaimed.

"I haven't had the best of luck with… relationships." I explained. "And I get involved with some of the worst people."

"How many people have you been involved with?!" Erik asked incredulously.

"Erik… I've had _all of time_." I said. "From the beginning to the day the earth explodes." Erik shot me a panicked look so I added "It's eons off, I can tell you that."

"Clara… where do you belong?" he asked softly.

"No where." I answered.

"No place to call home?"

"No because I don't always return home." I said softly. "And people don't make a habit of waiting for me."

"Why not?" Erik asked.

"Because last time I tried having a home, I had a home with someone!" I exclaimed. I felt tears race to my eyes, but I held them back as best I could. "I disappeared one day and I came back just in time to learn he had gone to war. That day was supposed to be the day he returned home, but he never did." The tears began racing down my cheeks and I swiped them away quickly. "We were supposed to get married." I whispered. Erik kept quiet and I laughed sadly. "Sorry for unloading all of that on you." And then I burst in tears. Erik looked very alarmed as I sobbed; his eyes were wide as he looked at me.

"Clara?" he asked. "What do you want me to do?"

I looked over at him to see that he moved back next to me. "I don't know." I whispered. I buried my face in my hands and continued to cry. I nearly jumped when I felt Erik wrap an arm around me. He moved my hands from my face and let me cry on his shoulder.

"Sh Clara, it will be okay." Erik whispered. "What did you last say to him?"

"I told him that I loved him." I said shakily. "I was only going to the store, but I didn't come back for six years."

"What was his name?" Erik asked.

"Jay." I said. "He left a note for me. When I returned home I found it on the kitchen table." A fresh wave of tears overtook me and Erik stood up.

"Let's return home." Erik said.


	4. Chapter 4

**disclaimer! I DON'T OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA! BUT I OWN CHRISTINE'S BACKBONE! (get ready for jealousy between the two women in the Phantom's life XD) ENJOY! **

"What happened?!" Mr. Crawford exclaimed as he saw the tears that still lingered in my eyes. He turned to Erik and yelled "What the hell did you do to her?!"

"I didn't do anything to her!" Erik yelled back.

"If he hurt you in any way, just tell me." Mr. Crawford said, turning to me.

"He didn't do anything to me, he actually was very nice." I said.

"Then why on earth…?"

"It's a story that she would rather not repeat." Erik said, coming to my rescue.

Mr. Crawford looked at the two of us suspiciously, then shrugged and went back to the book he had abandoned when we arrived. "Where did you get a book?" I asked.

"Monsieur Erik has a rather extensive library here." Mr. Crawford said, pointing to a stone archway that led to a small cavern.

"Really?!" I yelled in excitement, running over to the room and smiling widely.

"She certainly has a fast recovery time." Erik said.

"Indeed." Mr. Crawford replied. I stopped listening to them at that point because of the massive bookshelves that occupied three of the walls. It was a fairly large amount of books and I ran a finger over the covers as I looked over the collection. I giggled slightly when I saw Edgar Allen Poe's "Masque of Red Death", and wondered when Erik would decide on his costume for the opera house's masque.

"Found something interesting?" a voice echoed near my right ear.

I jumped and turned to see Erik standing beside me. "Erik, you scared me to death!"

"You do not appear to be a ghost." Erik said, smirking at me.

I stuck my tongue out at him, which only made his smirk widen. "You're a meanie." I said.

"I am not." Erik said, pretending to be vastly offended by that comment.

"Are so." I replied, putting my hands on my hips and turning away from the bookshelf to face him fully.

"Fine, believe what you'd like." Erik said.

"I will, thank you very much." I said. Erik walked out of the library laughing and I picked a hardback novel off of the shelf. I walked back to the main cavern and plopped down in a chair and began to read.

I don't know how much time passed, but Erik soon left again to go and have Christine's lesson. I rolled my eyes when I saw him leave and Mr. Crawford chuckled from across a small coffee table. "Not a fan of Miss. Daae?" Mr. Crawford said.

"Not in the slightest." I replied.

"And why on earth is that?"

"She's so annoying." I replied. "And… you know what she does to him."

"Yes, I know." Mr. Crawford said. "But _you_ know that he still goes after her regardless."

"Not if I can help it." I muttered.

Mr. Crawford looked at me in shock and then a sudden realization spread across his face. "You're _jealous _of her!"

"Am not." I said, sulkily.

"Oh really?" Mr. Crawford chuckled. "Then you're _not _planning on going to her lesson too, just to make sure Erik never brings her to the lair?"

"No… I'm planning on meeting her here if he does." I said.

"And saying what?!"

"… nothing." I said, my face turning red.

"Alright Clara." Mr. Crawford said. He went back to reading and I got up to go sit at the piano. Mr. Crawford looked at me and said "You know Erik would never let you play his piano."

"Well Erik isn't here." I said. And so I began to play every song from the Phantom musical that I knew. That took a good while, and I only stopped when I heard a boat being paddled to shore. Peering over to it, I saw Erik paddling the gondola and Christine sitting behind him.

Erik looked a bit panicked when he saw that we were still here and I just glared at him. "Well Erik, I see you've brought a friend home. Care to introduce us?"

Erik glared back and said "Christine, this is Clara and Mr. Crawford, they are… friends of mine."

"Nice to meet you both." Christine said. I tried very hard not to laugh at the confused expression on her face.

"I'm guessing that you assumed our Erik lived alone?" I asked, innocently.

Erik cleared his throat loudly and shot me a look. "_Our_ Erik?" Christine said.

"Well yes, it would be rude if I said he was just mine." I said a fake smile plastered on my lips. Erik shifted uncomfortably and Mr. Crawford looked like her was about to cry from holding in laughter. "Of course, up until recently, I wasn't aware that I had to share him." I finished stonily.

Christine's doe eyes widened at my tone and Erik cut in "Okay, well this was fun. Christine, now you've seen where I live so… I can take you home if you want."

"Who said anything about going home?" Christine said. "I only just met you're friend Clara."

Her tone surprised me. _So the real Christine has a backbone!_ I thought. "Oui, Erik, you can't expect us to be parted so soon?" I scoffed as if the idea was ridiculous. "I would love to get to know your _student_."

Erik and Christine both glared at me. Mr. Crawford got up and moved near Erik and whispered "Welcome to any man's worst nightmare."


	5. Chapter 5

"Well Christine, we should probably start your lesson." Erik said.

"Alright." Christine said.

"I would love to watch a real singing lesson." I said, smiling innocently at Christine.

"Would you like to participate?" Erik asked uncertainly.

"Sure." I said. Christine scoffed at me as I sang a warm up scale. Once I was ready I opened my mouth and began to sing, "Love never dies! Love never falters Once it has spoken Love is yours Love never fades Love never alters Hearts may get broken Love endures Hearts may get broken Love endures…" when I finished, Christine, Mr. Crawford and Erik were all gaping at me.

"You never told me that you sing!" Erik exclaimed.

"You never asked." I said. "I've had a lot of time to practice."

"Well if she's going to be in my lesson, she has to learn the song I'm working on." Christine said smugly.

"And what song is that?" I asked, before innocently adding. "Elisa's aria from act three of Hannible?"

"That's cheating." Erik said, smiling at me.

"What?" Christine asked in frustration. "What?!" her gaze switched back and forth from me to Erik in turn.

"Nothing Angel." Erik said.

"Yeah, nothing." I said. Christine looked at me and I started humming "Think of Me."

Christine let out a frustrated "Ugh!" and stormed away.

"Christine wait!" Erik called, running after her.

"He isn't going to be happy when he gets back." Mr. Crawford said.

"Why not, she'll go off with her precious Viscount and he'll figure out he's so much happier without her." I muttered.

"Or he'll be miserable. And angry, after all he is famous for his temper." He said.

"I'll hide then."

"You better hurry, I doubt Christine will answer his questions." Mr. Crawford said. I nodded and ran off to hide behind one of the many curtains, in the shadow of a stone arch.

I heard Erik's footsteps run back to the cavern and his voice yell "Where is she?!"

"Where is who?" Mr. Crawford asked.

"Clara!"

"She did the sensible thing and hid." Mr. Crawford said, chuckling slightly.

"Then I'll just have to ask you what happened." Erik growled.

"And I'll gladly answer." Mr. Crawford said. "You have just witnessed the wrath of a jealous female."

"Christine was… jealous?! Of Clara?!" Erik said in shock. "Why?"

"Clara is obviously the better singer and you seemed to have chemistry with her." Mr. Crawford said. "What did she say when you confronted her?"

"She asked me when I was going to tell her that I had another student." Erik said. Mr. Crawford laughed and realization hit Erik. "Clara!"

"What?" I yelled back.

"I need to talk to you."

"Why?" I asked.

"You made Christine jealous." Erik stated.

"Yeah, so?"

"So if she gets jealous enough, won't that mean she'll soon realize her feelings for me?"

"Erik… I don't think it works like that…" I started to say.

Erik cut me off and snapped "Well it can't hurt to try!"

"She already believes you two to be lovers…" Mr. Crawford said. Erik and I glared at him and he added "I'm not suggesting that!"

"The worst thing I would ask for is a kiss." Erik said. "And even then, I'm sure no one would ever try and do so convincingly…"

I walked up to him and without further hesitation, kissed him right on the lips. The kiss lasted a little over half a minute, and when I tried to pull back, Erik pulled me closer and kissed me again. Erik's arms wrapped around me, I was so close to him that I could feel his heart racing… or was that mine? When the kiss ended, he still held me in his arms and I noticed the calm expression on his face when his eyes fluttered open. "Was that convincingly enough?" I asked softly.

Erik's expression hardened. "Yes." He said, before turning and storming off through a door.

"… What?!" I cried.

"Clara, remember Erik hasn't ever been kissed before now." Mr. Crawford said. "It must have come as quite a shock when you did."

"I suppose." I said sourly.

"You should probably go and check on him, just to make sure he's okay." Mr. Crawford said.

"Why? He isn't my responsibility." I muttered. Mr. Crawford fixed a look on me and I sighed. "Fine…"

And that was how I ended up outside Erik's door. "Go away." I heard him mutter, before I even touched the door.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I don't want to see you." He answered.

"Rude." I said, walking in anyway. Erik was laying on his coffin-bed, staring up at the red curtains hanging around the room. There was a small bookshelf near the bed, I assumed it held the Opera Ghost's favorite books. I walked over to the coffin and sat down beside him. "Are you okay?"

"I don't know."

"How do you not know?" I asked.

"You _kissed_ me." Erik said, sitting up and looking at me. "No one has ever done that before."

"Well you expect me to make Christine jealous… kissing is basically a requirement." I said. "If it makes you feel any better, you're quite good at it."

Erik stared at me with wide eyes and started stuttering. "y-you mean t-that?" he asked.

"Yes." I said. "Really Erik, if you want to convince Christine that we're the other half of each other's romantic interests, you need to stop stuttering whenever I'm near you or affectionate."

"I don't think I can ever get used to this." Erik muttered.

"I'm sure you can." I said briskly.

I got up to walk away and Erik called "Wait!"

"What?"

"I… er… I don't know how to… how to um, I'm not exactly educated in relations between and man and woman." Erik muttered.

"In exchange for singing lessons, or any other lesson I have interest in, Mr. Crawford and I will give you love lessons." I said.

"Thank you Clara." Erik said sleepily.

I giggled. "Get some sleep, you've had a long day." I said, kissing Erik gently. He smiled and I made my leave quietly.

"So how is he?" Mr. Crawford asked.

"He's fine, he's asleep now." I said. "He needs rest for tomorrow… I promised that we would give him relationship help."

"Excuse me, did you just say 'we'?!" Mr. Crawford exclaimed. "How did I get dragged into this?!"

"Erik will need another man's advice too." I said, then sulkily added, "Don't complain, he isn't going to be practicing on you…"

"Hey, chin up." Mr. Crawford said. "Men usually can't pretend to love someone without truly loving them in the end, I'm sure the Phantom is no different… especially when a kiss from you brought such a dramatic reaction…"

"It doesn't matter, even if he does end up loving me." I said. "I'm not supposed to be in love…"

"You can't expect Erik to forget about Christine if you won't even take that advice." Mr. Crawford said. "Jay would want you to find your happiness."

"I know he would." I said softly.


End file.
